title: Adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae to human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B).
abstract: Pneumococcal adherence to alveolar epithelial cells and nasopharyngeal epithelial cells has been well characterized. However, the interaction of Streptococcus pneumoniae with bronchial epithelial cells has not been studied. We have now shown that pneumococci bind specifically to a human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B cells). Pneumococci adhered to BEAS-2B cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the bronchial epithelium may serve as an additional site of attachment for pneumococci and demonstrate the utility of the BEAS-2B cell line for studying mechanisms of pneumococcal infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Molecular Genetics, MedImmune, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Adamou
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wizemann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barren
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langermann
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001980:Bronchi / Q000382:microbiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000502:physiology*